Highlighted: Youthful FC Groningen making waves
It’s a good time to be a FC Groningen fan. The club sits fifth in the Eredivisie table, boasts a squad packed with promising youngsters, and has already produced some eye-catching goals. On Sunday, league leaders Feyenoord visit the Euroborg — the perfect test for Dick Lukkien’s men to measure their progress.
A flying start
Last season Groningen impressed on their return to the top flight with a youthful squad and strong home form, finishing a safe 13th. This time around they’ve kicked on. Four wins from their opening six games, with only AZ and PSV proving too strong, mark one of the club’s best starts of the modern era. You have to go back to 2008/09 to find a better opening, when Groningen had five victories on the board by matchweek seven. That campaign ended in the European play-offs. The current run already places this side among the best starters in club history.
| Season | PL | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2008/09 |
7 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
+13 |
16 |
|
2010/11 |
7 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
+7 |
15 |
|
1990/91 |
7 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
+6 |
14 |
|
1995/96 |
7 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
+6 |
14 |
|
2006/07 |
7 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
+5 |
14 |
|
2025/26 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
+3 |
12 |
Built on a solid back line
Key to Groningen’s strong start has been their defensive organisation. They’ve won three league matches on the spin without conceding. The last time they strung together four victories was late in 2020, but never before in the Eredivisie have they managed such a streak while keeping clean sheets — except once, back in 1991.
At the heart of that defence are Ajax loanee Dies Janse and homegrown talent Thijmen Blokzijl, a pairing that has only been breached by PSV so far. Behind them, Etienne Vaessen has been in superb form. The goalkeeper became only the second in Groningen history to keep clean sheets in each of his first three Eredivisie matches of a season, matching Sjaak Storm’s feat from 1985/86. Another shutout on Sunday would make Vaessen the first Groningen keeper, and just the 14th ever in the league, to begin a campaign with four straight clean sheets.
FC Groningen – Telstar, 20 September 2025, Younes Taha of FC Groningen celebrates the 1-0 with teammate Thijmen Blokzijl during the home match against Telstar at the Euroborg.
Threats in attack and a familiar face
Of course, games aren’t won on defensive solidity alone. Going forward, Groningen have found new heroes. Early-season standout Brynjólfur Willumsson is sidelined through injury, but Younes Taha has stepped up. In his first six Eredivisie outings for the club he’s been directly involved in four goals (two scored, two assisted). In the past 25 years, only five Groningen players have managed five or more goal involvements in their first seven league appearances: Erik Nevland, Marcus Berg, Nick van der Velden, Jørgen Strand Larsen and Ricardo Pepi.
Sunday also brings a reunion. Luciano Valente, once of Groningen, returns to the Euroborg in Feyenoord colours. Over the past four rounds he’s been one of the champions’ most influential players — leading in passes into the opposition box (28), chances created (7), and ranking second in ball recoveries (21, behind Quinten Timber’s 26). In Groningen they know exactly how dangerous he can be.
AZ Alkmaar – Feyenoord, 21 September 2025, Former FC Groningen player Luciano Valente of Feyenoord celebrates the 2-3 with Anis Hadj Moussa during the away match against AZ at the AFAS Stadium.
Since the start of 2018, Groningen have lost only once at home to Feyenoord in the Eredivisie, winning once and drawing four. That resilience makes Sunday’s clash fascinating. Can Lukkien’s men extend their impressive run against the champions and keep pace with the top four?
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